"Viva il re!" Long live the king! In 1946, when the Kingdom of Italy came to an end, the House of Savoy was the world's oldest reigning dynasty. The heads of the House of Savoy had ruled, first as counts, then as dukes and finally as kings, for almost a thousand years.

Knights and crusades, damsels and jousts are part of the story. The Savoys were custodians of a mystical sword and an equally mystical robe, the "Shroud of Turin." Descended in the direct male line from a tenth-century vassal of the Holy Roman Emperor, the Savoys ruled the Alpine state of Aosta, as well as Savoy, where they established themselves at Chambery. Their dominion was eventually extended to include Piedmont and other territories in what are now Italy, France and Switzerland. By the eighteenth century, the Savoys were kings of Sicily and then Sardinia, and it was under their aegis that the Italian states were united by 1871.

Their noble heritage can be seen in castles and palaces, and in the beauty of Turin, the Savoys' magnificent capital city in the heart of Piedmont. The dynastic traditions of the House of Savoy continue.

The Order of the Annunciation and the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, two of the world's oldest knightly institutions, are still alive today, epitomising the dynasty's medieval spirit while supporting very modern charitable works in Italy, Switzerland, France, the Balkans and elsewhere. Chivalry lives. Today, the House of Savoy remains one of the oldest royal dynasties, but also one of Europe's smallest, with only four dynasts ("men who would be king").

Published by Regalis, these pages
present the medieval and modern history of the House of Savoy, and the traditions
and institutions associated with the dynasty. (This is not an "official"
site of the Royal House of Savoy or its orders of chivalry.) This site has
no monarchist or political scope. Articles appearing here do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the publishers or of individual members of the House
of Savoy. All material on this site, including translations, is original,
Copyright work.